Athletic Club head coach Edin Terzic gave his players an additional day off after their emphatic 3-0 victory over Atletico Madrid, with the squad due to return to training on Tuesday.
The result was the central outcome of a match in which Atletico Madrid were beaten by three goals without reply. Following the win, Terzic chose to reward his team with extra rest before preparations resume.
The Athletic Club manager also addressed the battle for the higher places in the standings, stressing the collective nature of the team’s progress.
“This is not my Athletic, this is our Athletic,” Terzic said.
His words placed the emphasis on the group rather than on any individual contribution. The message came after a result that lifted Athletic Club to eight points and left them in eighth place.
Atletico Madrid remain ahead of them in the current standings despite the heavy defeat. The Madrid club have seven points and occupy sixth position.
The gap between the two sides is therefore two points in Athletic Club’s favour in terms of their current tally, although Atletico Madrid are positioned higher in the table. The figures provide the immediate context for Terzic’s comments about the fight for the leading positions.
For Athletic Club, the 3-0 scoreline represents a significant result against Atletico Madrid and gives the team a clear platform as it prepares to return to work. The players will have an additional day away from training before gathering again on Tuesday.
Terzic’s decision to grant the break was announced after the victory, linking the reward directly to the team’s performance. No further changes to the schedule were given: the squad’s next training session is set for Tuesday.
The standings remain close around the two clubs. Athletic Club’s eight points place them eighth, while Atletico Madrid’s seven points put them sixth. Those positions frame the competitive situation Terzic was asked about after the match.
Rather than presenting the win as a personal achievement, the manager described Athletic Club in collective terms. His central message was reflected in the distinction between “my Athletic” and “our Athletic”, underlining that the club’s progress belongs to the team as a whole.
The immediate focus now turns to the return to training. Athletic Club’s players will come back on Tuesday after being given the extra day off, with the 3-0 victory over Atletico Madrid the latest result to shape the standings and the wider contest for the higher places.